Monitor day-care centres, says panel

KOCHI: The legislative committee for welfare of women, children and disabled has asked the district officials of the social justice department to monitor the functioning of day-care centres. The committee, which was on a day-long visit to the city on Tuesday, said the department should formulate specific standards for the functioning of day-care centres, including, issual of licences.

Following the incident of child abuse at

Kaliveedu Day-Care Center

in

Palarivattom

, the committee said it suo motu sought a report from the social justice department.

''Facilities such as

CCTV

and appointment of qualified teachers should be ensured by the social justice department and child protection units. The state should formulate a special policy based on the national child welfare policy and formulate the working standards of day careers and play schools," said Meena Kuruvilla, Outreach Project Director at Rajagiri College and former child rights commission member. She also said the pre-school curriculum could be incorporated in the Right to Education Act.

The committee, led by chairperson Aisha Potti, discussed various issues related to women and children. It directed officials to take appropriate action against those violating rights of women, children and the disabled people. The committee looked into the five complaints received earlier and six complaints that were received on Tuesday.

After the sitting, the committee visited

Kakkanad

girls' home and boys' observation home. The committee reviewed the academic activities and state of affairs of the inmates. The members of the committee included MLAs N Jayaraj, U Pratibha Hari, EK Vijayan, joint secretary Sajeevan and district-level officials of various departments.